Governor for internal combustion engines



Jan. 21, 1941. J. 6. STATE ETAL 2,229,144

GOVERNOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed April 25, 1958 0 [57 INVENTOR.

Z0 I22==== fl n A ORNEYS Patented Jan. 21, 1941 UNITED STATE GOVERNOR FOR m'r ENG James ERNAL COMBUSTION INES I 0. State and Robert A. Mairson, Kalama zoo, Mich., assignors of one-fourth to Irving Mairson of Kalamazom-Mich.

and one-fourth to Neil Verburg, both Application April 23, 1938, Serial No. 203,766

17 Claims.

cordance with engine speed and has a balancing mechanism therein adapted to compensate for excessive vacuum at said source during engine operation below the predetermined maximum, whereby the governor is not actuated until the maximum is attained. I

Third, to provide a governor device of the type described having a control ,valve or valves arranged in a novel manner relative to the usual engine speed controlling valve or valves.

Further objects relating to details and economies of our invention will definitely appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claims.

A structure embodying the features of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawin wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a structure embodying the invention, shown in operative relation to the carburetor and intake manifold of an internal combustionengine of the V type or a carburetor having two similarly valved delivery passages.

. Fig.2 is a side elevation of our governor device with the closure plate removed, being partially broken away and in vertical section to 11- lustrate details of construction.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the governor device partially broken away and in section to illustrate details thereof.

Fig. 4 is. a fragmentary view in side elevation,

illustrating the adapter constituting a part of our invention and the arrangement of the dual governor valve operating cranks therein.

Fig; 5 is a view in section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, illustrating the arrangement of the governor valves relative to conventional engine speed controlling dual valves.

' Fig. 6 is a plan view illustrating an embodiment of our invention adapted for or as embodied in a single passage device.

The present application is a continuation in part of our copending application, Serial No.

185,890, filed January 20, 1938.

This invention relates to a speed governing device, more particularly a governing device adapted to determine maximum engine speeds. a The device in the embodiment illustrated is designed to be embodied in standard or widely used types of carburetor and manifold assemblies by providing an adapter having a passage therein registering with the discharge passage 10 of the carburetor and opening to the inlet manifold. The valve is actuated to closed or partially closed position by means of the flow of fuel in the passage'assisted and balanced by a suction or vacuum 'actuated device when the speed of the engine reaches a predetermined maximum.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawing, which is designed for use with a V type engine, thereference numeral I represents acarburetor of the down- 2 draft type disposed normally in alinement with the neck of the'intake manifold of the engine. The two passagecarburetor, as illustrated, is provided with dual control valves 3 and l with suitable operating connections, but as the dev tails of these form no part of this invention they are not further described herein.

Between the discharge end of the carburetor and the manifold, we interpose a valve housing oradapter body '5 having intake passages 6 therein provided withthrottle type governor valves I pivoted on stems" 8 arranged eccentrically of the passages 0 and at right'angles to the throttle valve stem. One of the stems 8 projects from the body of the adapter into the control housing 9. This control housing 8 includes a closed control chamber Ill and a vacuum cylinder II, the vacuum cylinder opening at its inner end to'the control chamber.

The body of the adapter is provided with a 40 laterally projecting portion I2 having a passage I3 therein opening to one of the passages 5 at I4. The housing member has a web-like Dortion I5 with'a passage I6 therein allned with the passage II and opening to the vacuum cylinder at the outer endthereof*(see Figs. 2 and 3). The abutting portions, of the parts I! and I! are slightly spaced at If to receive the passage connecting nipple I8. This connecting nipple has tapered end portions which are extended into the passages I3 and I6 (see Fig. 3).

The outer end of the cylinder is for convenience' in manufacture closed by'the threaded cylinder head I9. The control chamber is closed by the plate 20, the plate being secured by means of screws 2|. These screws are adapted to receive the sealing wire 22 which is extended to also secure the head IS, the seal 23 securing the ends of the sealing wire which is passed through the head and a suitable opening in the wall of the cylinder. The control parts are arranged within this chamber Hi, the purpose being to prevent tampering or unauthorized adjustment.

In the embodiment illustrated, the plunger 23i is provided with a plunger rod 24 which is slidably supported in the bracket 25 within the chamber Ill. The stem 8 of the valve 1 projects into the control chamber and is provided with a crank 26 which is engaged by the pin or tappet 21 on the plunger rod. The relation of these parts is clearly shown in the drawing. The tension spring 28 is connected to the end of the crank at the outer side of the pin 21 to normally urge the valve to open position and the plunger to its unactuated position. This spring is provided with a threaded adjusting member 29 disposed through the bracket 30 in the chamber l and is provided with adjusting nuts 3i and 32. The adjustable stop 33 is disposed within the housing in opposed relation to the crank, so that it is engaged by the crank when it is swung to valve opening position- This stop is threaded ino the body of the housing and provided with a lock nut 34- In order to actuate the governor valves I si-,

multaneously, we couple the same together by a link 35 pivotally connected to each of a pair of arms or cranks 36 carried by the valve stems 8. This linkage is disposed in a special recess 31 formed in the front side of adapter body between passages 6 and control chamber Hi.

When the engine is operating at low speeds, i. e., with control valves 3, 4 very near to-closed position, a condition of high vacuum exists in passage 8 behind valves 3, 4, i. e., adjacent opening l4. This vacuum varies inversely with engine speed. Were no provision made to oflset it, the eflect of low speed engine operation would be to draw plunger 2;" to the right as viewed in Fig. 2 and thereby close or tend to close governor valve 1. To remedy this condition, we provide a balancing device consisting of a chamber 38 formed in an enlarged portion 33 of rod 24. This chamber is closed by a suitable plate and communicates with the vacuum side of cylinder I! through an. opening 4|. The chamber is likewise provided with a port 40 in the bottom thereof, the port having a seat 42 upon which a ball check member 43 is adapted to rest, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The valve member 43 is of such weight that it will be displaced from port 40 by vacuum conditions attending low speed operation, thereby bleeding chamber II and preventing plunger 23! from being actuated.

When the engine attains a predetermined maximum speed, i. e., with the throttle valves 3, 4 in practically open position, the rush of fuel past valves 1 is suflicient, in addition to the vacuum effect existing in chamber H, to actuate the said valves toward closing position. As stated, the

valves 1 are mounted on stems 3 in a position 011' center relative to the passages 3 so -that the flow of fuel is effective over a large area to one side of the pivot of the valves to close the same when maximum speed operation is reached. It should inder II at a predetermined maximum opera tion speed, it therefore remains seated over port 40 and the result is that governor valves 1 are actuated to closing position, in part by the flow of fluid impinging the same in passage 3 and in part by the suction effect exercised on plunger 23l.

In practice, spring 23 is chosen of suflicient strength to at all times be capable of overcoming the suction effect on plunger 23!, to the end that when engine speed drops upon closing of the governor valves, the spring 23 will return the said valves immediately to open position.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the balancing device constituted by the chamber 33 and ball check member 43 constitutes an extremely sensitive compensating device controlling the operation or non-operation of plunger 23l under various conditions of engine operation. The plunger HI and balancing device thereon, although assisting in the closing of valves I, serve mainly as a device to prevent fluttering of those valves by quickly nullifyinggovernor resistance to the action of spring 23 when the engine speed drops below the maximum predetermined speed. They thus insure that the same.

oscillate quickly and smoothly from their open .position to cut-ofl position and vice versa. Moreover, the compensating ball check member 43, by bleeding or reducing the vacuum in cylinder II, assists the coil spring 28 in performing its function of holding valves 1 open and thereby enables a considerably smaller spring to be employed than would be the case were the member 43 omitted.

In order to maintain the plunger in such position that the ball check 43 is vertically disposed relative to port 43, we preferably provide stem 24 with a flat portion 44 and shape the stem guide 25 in the same manner, thereby assuring that the parts of the balancer are positioned and remain in such position that the check 43 will always close port 40 at maximum speed.

We have arranged the governor valves 1 at right angles to the engine control valves 3 and 4, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5, in order to facilitate operation of the former by the governor device, since we have found that with the said valves 3, 4 and I in parallel plane relation it is exceedingly difiicult to manipulate the governor valves I when the throttle valves 4 are in open position. This is due to the fact that the vapor rushes downwardly in a sheet past valves 3, 4, with the result that it is impossible for the upper end of the valve to cut through the highly resistive sheet or stream of vapor when arranged on an axis parallel to the stream. By shifting stems 3 ninety degrees, however, this difliculty is eliminated or reduced to an unobjectionable minimum.

In Fig. 6 we illustrate our invention as embodied in a single passage carburetor, however in all other respects the construction is as described above. 0! course, recess 31 and the linkage therein are omitted.

Our improved control device is very accurate and is not open to the numerous objections of devices which have hitherto been tried but, so far as we are aware, without substantial commercial success. There is substantially no lag in the opening of the valve and it does not interfere with throttle control for speeds below the maximum speed. It is, moreover, extremely sensitive and successfully holds the engine steadily at any engine speed at or below the maximum for which it is set.

1. In a speed governor device for an internal combustion engine, a bore having a governor valve, a cylinder connected to the bore anterior to the valve, a plunger slidable in the cylinder, a rod for said plunger, means operatively connecting said rod with said governor valve whereby to tend to actuate the same toward closing position in the event the speed of fuel how in the bore reaches a predetermined maximum, and means for preventing actuation of said plunger at speeds below said maximum, comprising a bleeder chamber in said rod having a passage communicating with the cylinder and a bleeder port providedwith a seat,'and a ballcheck member adapted to seat over and normally close said bleeder port, said ball check being proportioned whereby to'be unseated by the vacuum in said cylinder when it is above a predetermined amount.

2. In a speed governor device for an internal combustion engine, a bore having a governor valve, a cylinder connected to the bore anterior to the valve, a plunger slidable in the cylinder, a rod for said plungenmeans operatively. connecting said rod with said governor valve whereby to tend to actuate the same toward closin position in the-event the speed of fuel flow in thebore reaches a predetermined maximum, and means for reducing the vacuumin said cylinder effective on said plunger and for preventing flutter thereof at speeds below said maximum, comprising a vacuum bleederdevice for said cylinder associated with said plunger'and having a bleeder passage adapted to communicatethe cylinder with a source of relatively elevated pressure and a check member normally closing said passage and subject to the vacuum in said cylinder.

' 3. In a speed governor device for an internal combustion engine, a bore having a governor valve, a vacuum cylinder connected to the bore anterior to the valve, a vacuum operated member in the cylinder, means operatively connecting said vacuum operated member with said governor valve to control the. same in the event the speed of fuel flow in the bore reaches a;predetermined maximum, and means for withholding actuation of said member and for preventing flutter thereof at speeds below saidmaximum, comprising a bleeder device having a passage communicating the cylinder with a source of relatively elevated pressure, and a check member adapted to normally close said passage and subject to the vacuum in said cylinder, said check member being unseated thereby to decrease the vacuum in said cylinder prior to the attainment of said predetermined maximum speed and being adapted to return to closing position relative to the port when said vacuum decreases upon attainment-of said maximum speed.

' 4. A governor device for an internal combustion engine, said devicecomprising a bore having a governor valve adapted to be pivotally and eccentrically mounted in the bore, whereby to be subject to actuation by the flow of fuel in the bore when the same attains a predetermined velocity, spring means for normally urging said governor valve to open position, and vacuum operated means communicating with the bore anterior to the valve for urging said governor valve toward closing position in the event a predetermined speedof fuel flow in the bore is exceeded, and means forwithholding actuation of said vacuum operated means until the speed reaches said predetermined maximum and for preventing fluttering of said governor valve when the speed drops below said maximum, said 'last named means comprising a chamber associated withsaid vacuum operatedmeans, said chamber having an openingcommunicating with the governor actuating vacuum and a bleederport, and a check member normally closing said port and adapted to be unseated therefrom by said vacuum when the vacuum exceeds a predetermined value, said check member seating and closing said port when the vacuum drops below said value, whereupon said vacuumoperated means is adapted to function as described.

5. A governor device for an internal combustion engine, said device comprising a bore having a governor valve adapted to be pivotally and eccentrically mounted in the bore, whereby to be subject to actuation by the flow of fuel in-the bore when the same attains a predetermined velocity, means for normally urging said governor valve to open position, and vacuum operated means communicating with said bore anterior to said valve for urging said governor valve toward closing position in the event a predetermined speed of fuelflow in the bore is exceeded,

andmeans for withholding actuation of said vacuum operated means until the speed reaches said predetermined maximum and for preventing fluttering'of said governor valve when the speed drops below said maximum, said last named means comprising a chamber 'associated with said vacuum operated means and communicating with the governor actuating vacuum and means in said chamber for relieving said vacuum at stages prior to attainment of said predetermined maximum.

6. A governor device for an internal combustion engine, said device comprising a bore having a governor. valve adapted to be pivotally and eccentrically mounted in the bore, whereby to be subject to actuationby the flow of fuel in thev bore when the same attains a predetermined velocity, means for normally urging said governor valve to open position, and vacuum op-- erated means communicating with said bore anterior to said valve for urging said governor valve toward closing position in the event a predetermined speed of fuel flow in the bore'is exceeded, and means for withholding actuation of said vacuum operated means until the speed reaches said predetermined maximum and for preventing fiuttering of said governor valve when the speed drops below said maximum.

'7. A governor device for an internal combustion engine, said device comprising a bore having a governor valve adapted. to be pivotally and eccentrically mounted in the bore, whereby to be closed by the flow of fuel when the same atincluding means for withholding actuation of said vacuum operated means until the speed of fuel flow in the bore reaches said predetermined maximum, said last named means comprising a chamber associated with said vacuum operated means, said chamber having an opening communicating with the governor actuating vacuum and a bleeder port, and a check member normally closing said port and adapted to be unseated therefrom by said vacuum when the vacuum exceeds a predetermined value, said check member seating and closing said port when the vacuum drops below said value.

8. A governor device for an internal combustion engine, said device comprising a bore having a governor valve adapted to-be pivotally and eccentrically mounted in the bore, whereby to be closed by the flow of fuel when the same attains a predetermined maximum speed, means for normally urging said governor valve to open position, and vacuum operated means communicating said bore anterior to said governor valve for controlling movement of said governor valve including means for withholding actuation of said vacuum operated means until the speed of fuel flow in the bore reaches said predetermined maximum, said last named means comprising a bleeder passage in communication with the vacuum efiective in said vacuum operated means, and a check member normally closing said passage and adapted to be unseated therefrom by said vacuum when the vacuum exceeds a predetermined value, said check member seating and closing said passage when the vacuum drops below said value.

9. A governor device for an internal 'combustion engine, comprising a bore having a governor valve pivoted eccentrically therein and arranged in position to be urged toward closing relation to the bore by the flow of fuel in the same when the flow attains a predetermined maximum speed, means for normally urging said governor valve to open position, vacuum operated means communicating with said bore anterior to said governor valve for controlling movement of said governor valve, and means subject to the vacuum effective on said vacuum operated means for withholding actuation of said vacuum operated means until the speed of flow reaches said predetermined maximum.

10. In a speed governor device for an internal combustion engine, a bore having a governor valve pivotally mounted therein, a vacuum cylinder connected to said bore anterior to the governor valve, a vacuum operated member in the cylinder, means operatively connecting said vacuum operated member with said governor valve to control the same in the event the speed of fuel flow in the bore reaches a predetermined maximum, and means for withholding actuation of said member and for preventing flutter thereof at speeds of flow below said maximum, comprising means subject to the vacuum in said cylinder to decrease the vacuum in said cylinder prior to the attainment of said predetermined maximum speed.

11. In a speed governor for internal combustion engines, a bore having an auxiliary valve pivoted therein, a vacuum cylinder opening to the bore in advance of the auxiliary valve, a vacuum plunger operatively associated with said auxiliary valve and acting when actuated to close the auxiliary valve, a spring acting to open said auxiliary valve, means for varying the tension of said spring, an adjustable stop for limiting the closing movement of said auxiliary valve under the action of said plunger, and a bleeder check valve controlling said plunger subject to the vacuum in said cylinder and adapted to be opened when the degree of vacuum acting upon the plunger exceeds a predetermined amount.

12. In a speed governor for internal combustion engines, a bore having an auxiliary valve therein, a vacuum cylinder opening to the bore in advance of the auxiliary valve, a vacuum plunger operatively associated with said auxiliary valve and acting when actuated to close the auxiliary valve, and a bleeder check valve on said plunger subject to the vacuum in said cylinder and adapted to be opened when the degree of vacuum acting upon the plunger exceeds a predetermined amount.

13. In a speed governor for internal combustion engines, the combination with a bore having an auxiliary control valve, of a vacuum cylinder connected with the bore anterior to saidvalve, a vacuum operated plunger in said cylinder operatively associated with said control valve, a spring acting to open said valve, and an adjustable stop for limiting the closing movement of said valve, said plunger being provided with a valved bleeder port, the plunger valve being actuated to open said bleeder port when the vacuum acting upon the plunger exceeds a predetermined amount.

14. In a. speed governor for internal combustion engines, the combination with a bore having an auxiliary control valve, of a vacuum cylinder connected with the bore anterior to said valve and a vacuum actuated plunger in said cylinder operatively associated with said control valve, said plunger being provided with a valved bleeder port, the plunger valve being actuated to open said bleeder port when the vacuum acting upon the plunger exceeds a predetermined amount.

15. In a speed governor device for internal combustion engines, the combination with a bore having an auxiliary control valve, of a vacuum cylinder connected to the bore in advance of said valve, and a vacuum actuated plunger in said cylinder operatively associated with said control valve and acting to close the same when the plunger is actuated, said plunger being provided with a valved bleeder port, the plunger valve normally seating by gravity and being unseated when the vacuum within the cylinder acting to actuate the plungerexceeds a predetermined amount.

16. A governor device for an internal combustion engine, said device comprising a housing having a passage therein adapted to be'alined with the intake passage of the engine and a vacuum chamber, a governor valve pivotally and eccentrically mounted in said housing passage, a plunger in said chamber, means for connecting said plunger to said governor valve to tend to actuate the latter to closing position in the passage, said chamber being communicated with said housing passage anterior to said governor valve, said eccentrically mounted governor valve being normally urged toward closing position by the flow of fuel vapor impinging the same, spring means connected to said plunger and normally urging said governor valve toward open position, said spring means acting in opposition to the vacuum on said plunger and being sufficiently strong to counterbalance the same, and means for decreasing the vacuum in said chamber at speeds of fuel flow in the passage below a predetermined maximum, whereby said spring means overcomes the effects of said flow of fuel on the governor valve and the vacuum in the chamber and is enabled to maintain the governor valve open, said last named means comprising a port for communicating the chamber with a vacuum decreasing source and a check valve associated with said port and proportioned to maintain the port closed a when the vacuum in said chamber is less than a predetermined value and to be unseated from the port by said vacuum when it exceeds said predetermined value to thereby render said plunger less effective in closing said governor valve.

17. A governor device for an internal combustion engine, said device comprising 'a housing having a passage therein adapted to be alined with the intake passage of the engine and a vacuum chamber, a governor valve pivotally and eccentrically mounted in said housing passage, vacuum-responsive means in said chamber, means for connecting said means to said governor valve -to tend to actuate the latter to closing position in the passage, said chamber being communicated with said housing passage anterior to said governor valve, said eccentrically mounted governor valve being normally urged toward closing position by the flow of fuel vapor impinging the same, spring means connected to said vacuum-responsive means and normally urging said governor valve toward open position, said spring means acting in opposition to the vacuum on said means and being sufficiently strong to counterbalance the same, and means for decreasing the vacuum in said chamber at speeds of fuel flow. in the passage below a predetermined maximum, whereby said spring means overcomes the effects of said flow of fuel on the governor valve and the vacuum in the chamber and is enabled to maintain the governor valve open.

' JAMES C. STATE.

ROBERT A. MAIRSON. 

